WomenÂ’s Throwers Lead Louisville Track and Field on Day Two of BIG EAST Championships

Holly Knight earned a third-place finish in the 5,000m after taking third in the 10,000m on Friday.

 

May 5, 2012

 

TAMPA, Fla. – Results early in the day looked unpromising, but the University of Louisville track and field teams bounced back with a strong finish on Saturday evening.

 

Behind a 1-2-4 finish in the womenÂ’s shot put and third-place showing in the womenÂ’s 5,000m, the CardinalsÂ’ womenÂ’s squad regained the team lead with 53 points and separated themselves from the pack by 12. The menÂ’s squad remained in the top three behind a second-place showing in the long jump.

 

Redshirt senior Chinwe Okoro, who broke the school record in the shot put earlier this year, broke her own record en route to a first-place finish in the event. Her meet and stadium record mark of 17.39m/57-0.75 ranks in the top-10 nationally and earns Okoro her first career BIG EAST title. Khadija Abdullah took runner-up in the event behind a throw of 16.64m/54-7.25, while Amashi Kendall finished fourth. The trio combined for 23 points in the one event.

 

Holly Knight, fresh off her third-place finish on Friday night in the 10,000m, also took third in the 5,000m in the second-to-last event on Saturday. She finished her first 5,000m race of the season in 16:26.07, which ranks in the top 40 in the region.

 

Wesley Smith led the menÂ’s team, as he continued his late-season push in the long jump, posting a personal best in the event to take second place. On his second to last jump in the finals, Smith registered a legal 7.68m/25-2.50. The mark ranks in the top-15 nationally prior to this weekendÂ’s events.

 

The men also received a scoring performance in the throws area from Sam Bombaugh and Brad Vivace, as the duo took fifth and sixth, respectively, in the shot put. Bombaugh posted a career-best 16.40m/53-9.75 to give Louisville four points, while Vivace delivered the Cardinal men an additional three points behind a throw of 16.15m/53-0.

 

On the track, three men and two women qualified in their respective events for SundayÂ’s finals.

 

Freshman Andrew Stewart improved his previous personal best by more than a second, taking third in his heat in the 1,500m, fifth overall. His Sunday race is slated for an 11:35 a.m. start. Emmanuel Matadi and Jordon Frazier were the other two males advancing, as Matadi took sixth overall in the 100m on a season-best 10.44 and Frazier finished seventh in the 400m hurdles. MatadiÂ’s final is set for 12:20 p.m., and Frazier is scheduled for 12:50 p.m.

 

Advancing from the womenÂ’s team is Ahlivia Spencer, who qualified for the 800m final, and Gabrielle Jackson, who moves on in the 400m hurdles after placing fifth overall in the preliminaries. Spencer re-broke the record she set earlier in the year, clocking an eighth-place time of 2:08.40.

 

Louisville wraps up action at the BIG EAST Championships on Sunday, May 6. Competition at the USF Track and Field Stadium begins at 10 a.m.

 

For all of the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to UofLsports.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvilletrack.

 

BIG EAST OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (TAMPA, FLA. – USF TRACK AND FIELD STADIUM)

 

Saturday, May 5

 

WomenÂ’s Javelin Trials and Final

16. Patrice Gates – 34.49m/113-2

 

WomenÂ’s Long Jump Trials and Final

t-10. Kim Cardeiro – 5.66m/18-7 (wind: 1.2)

13. Margret Harris – 5.59m/18-4.25 (wind: 2.6)

21. Charachesicia Lockhart – 4.57m/15-0 (wind: -0.4)

 

MenÂ’s High Jump Trials and Final

t-12. Taylor Caldwell – 1.94m/6-4.25

 

WomenÂ’s 1,500m Trials

19. Michelle Molodynia – 4:36.43

 

MenÂ’s 1,500m Trials

5. Andrew Stewart – 3:51.81q

13. Luke Lovelace – 3:54.43

 

MenÂ’s Shot Put Trials and Final

5. Sam Bombaugh – 16.40m/53-9.75

6. Brad Vivace – 16.15m/53-0

11. Isaac Bowling – 14.89m/48-10.25

 

MenÂ’s Long Jump Trials and Final

2. Wesley Smith – 7.68m/25-2.50 (wind: 0.3)

10. Seon Powell – 7.10m/23-3.50 (wind: 1.6)

 

WomenÂ’s 100m Hurdles Trials

10. Gabrielle Jackson – 14.38 (wind: 2.9)

 

MenÂ’s 110m Hurdles Trials

12. Calvin Arsenault – 14.34 (wind: 2.2)

 

WomenÂ’s 400m Trials

11. Hadassah Bruno – 55.45

 

WomenÂ’s 100m Trials

Margret Harris – DNF

 

MenÂ’s 100m Trials

6. Emmanuel Matadi – 10.44q (wind: 2.9)

26. Raymond Davis – 11.00 (wind: 1.8)

 

WomenÂ’s 800m Trials

8. Ahlivia Spencer – 2:08.40q

 

WomenÂ’s Shot Put Trials and Final

1. Chinwe Okoro – 17.39m/57-0.75

2. Khadija Abdullah – 16.64m/54-7.25

4. Amashi Kendall – 15.60m/51-2.25

 

WomenÂ’s 400m Hurdles Trials

5. Gabrielle Jackson – 1:01.12q

 

MenÂ’s 400m Hurdles Trials

7. Jordon Frazier – 52.80q

13. Calvin Arsenault – 55.92

 

MenÂ’s 200m Trials

14. Emmanuel Matadi – 21.50 (wind: 2.5)

 

WomenÂ’s 5,000m Final

3. Holly Knight – 16:26.07

10. Madie Davidson – 16:53.78

 

-ig-

 

For More Information, Contact:

Ira Green, (502) 852-4857

Ira.Green@louisville.edu